[NRSKarenRN]

Happy 10th Anniversary to OJIN from allnurses !


From: OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing

The Multigenerational Workforce: Boomers and Xers and Nets, Oh MY!
published May 31, 2006


Just a few of the articles:


Integrating Generational Perspectives in Nursing
Marla J. Weston, RN, MS (May 31, 2006)

The four generational cohorts discussed in this article include the Veteran Generation, the Baby Boomer Generation, Generation X, and the Millennial Generation. This section will describe and illustrate the historical, social, and cultural experiences of each generation which have formed the mental models so often seen in each of these generations.

Leading a Multigenerational Nursing Workforce: Issues, Challenges and Strategies
Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, CNAA(May 31, 2006)

The experience of having four generations in the workplace is uncharted territory for nursing leaders.

Addressing Multigenerational Conflict: Mutual Respect and Carefronting as Strategy
Betty R. Kupperschmidt, EdD, RN, CNAA (May 31, 2006)

Management literature in nursing and other fields considers conflict from the perspective of the manager’s responsibility in dealing with the conflict. Yet individual employees, such as nurses, also have a responsibility to learn to work cooperatively with peers representing generational cohorts different than their own. The challenge to move toward shared accountability between professional staff nurses and managers has been issued (Kupperschmidt, 2004). If professional nurses are unwilling to assume shared accountability for creating environments consistent with the values of the profession, i.e., environments that encourage respectful interactions with colleagues, should they continue to assert that caring is the essence of nursing? This author argues that professional nurses must care enough about their patients, their profession, their multi-generational colleagues, and themselves to carefront disrespectful behavior from other professional nurses

For all the outstanding articles over the years!
http://www.nursingworld.org/ojin/admin/topics.htm

[multicollinearity]

Thank you for posting this. I am a stereotypical Gen Xer. An article like this is helpful for me, because it reminds me to look at coworkers with a bit of context and not internally criticize them for what I find puzzling. What I mean by that is I have been bewildered by coworkers of the 'Veteran' generation and their staunch acceptance of authority and loyalty. They may look at me and see a selfish, non-loyal worker because I wouldn't sacrifice myself for any employer, and I'd go to another one in a minute if I got a better offer. Both of us are products of our generations and I need to remember this context.

One point: the article didn't mention that many of the 'Millenials' (born 1980+) expect a trophy for showing up!

[MBA2BRN]

Originally Posted by multicollinarity

One point: the article didn't mention that many of the 'Millenials' (born 1980+) expect a trophy for showing up!

This is why I do not agree in the least that they are anything like the Veteren Generation. I read other articles with a comparrison and basically their attitudes do not trasnalte into the same work ethic.

Verteans do not expect priase for everything they do. They do not work hard and expect everyone else to get the same credit or prizes. And they certainly did not grow up in a time where they got everything they asked for, which is completly stereotypical of the Millennial Generation. Of course there are always exception to this rule. And so as with any study I will take the information in stride.

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by multicollinarity

Thank you for posting this. I am a stereotypical Gen Xer. An article like this is helpful for me, because it reminds me to look at coworkers with a bit of context and not internally criticize them for what I find puzzling. What I mean by that is I have been bewildered by coworkers of the 'Veteran' generation and their staunch acceptance of authority and loyalty. They may look at me and see a selfish, non-loyal worker because I wouldn't sacrifice myself for any employer, and I'd go to another one in a minute if I got a better offer. Both of us are products of our generations and I need to remember this context.

One point: the article didn't mention that many of the 'Millenials' (born 1980+) expect a trophy for showing up!

Gee, I was so impressed with your post until I got to the last line. Why the negative, and unfair, stereotype.

[PANurseRN1]

Originally Posted by Tweety

Gee, I was so impressed with your post until I got to the last line. Why the negative, and unfair, stereotype.

It totally cracked me up! Does this poster have any idea that her attitude toward "millenials" sounds exactly like that of the "veterans" she disdains? (And it is disdain, if you look at it closely.)

[multicollinearity]

Originally Posted by Tweety

Gee, I was so impressed with your post until I got to the last line. Why the negative, and unfair, stereotype.

Tweety, I said "many" not all. Stereotypes come from somewhere, and often they contain a kernal of truth. Not always, but frequently. Are we to only notice positive traits of various generations and not mention the perplexing or negative? I wouldn't ASSUME anything about any particular individual because that would be unfair and frequently inaccurate. I will notice trends, both positive and negative, among groups. What is negative or unfair about that?

Many millennials do seem to expect praise and a 'trophy' of sorts for simply showing up. This is the generation that has been raised getting trophies (literally) for participating instead of trophies for actually winning. Have you ever been to their soccer games? You know, where they all got trophies just for playing? This generation has had their self-esteem stroked and puffed on. They do tend to be quite cooperative, and teamplayers, and they don't suffer the lower self-esteem like many baby-boomers and gen X'ers. Ask any instructor or professor...the millennials seem to be more "fragile" when it comes to correction and criticism and they seem to expect constant positive feedback. Previous generations seem to be boggled at the idea of getting rewards and trophies for simply doing what you are supposed to do; millennials grew up with precisely that.

[sayitgirl]

There is one thing that is common to all those groups that remains unchanged; nurses being unkind to each other. We even come across the waters and join in . I left the medical hospital because of hostility in the workplace. Never going back either. The ANA was of no help,said it was not their issue even though it was a "Magnet" hospital. So I said it was not in my interests to remain a member either.
But maybe once there is an increase of men in the field things will change. I work with predominantly men now and do not have the headaches. Not perfect but not same stress issues.

[oramar]

You know where I will weight in on this. I love my fellow employees. Maybe not every minute of everyday but they are in the same boat as I am and I sympathize with them. As much as I love my fellow employees that is how much I dislike managment which is responsible for most of the unloveable behavior on the behalf of employees. But I am like a broken record on the subject of my dislike of managment. On the subject of generational nursing, I will tell you a story. I told my husband this new unit I am on has many young nurses, younger than I have seen in a long time. His reply, "good, that will give managment more time to work them to death." That is exactly what a non healthcare worker that knows what goes on replied to my remark. How about that.

[Marie_LPN, RN]

Originally Posted by Tweety

Why the negative, and unfair, stereotype.

I asked the same thing about the OJIN's Journal Topic.

[burn out]

omg we can bash anything. Now we are going to start generation bashing, and which generation is better than the other. What happened to all the evolutionist out there. Differences in our genrations are based on the changes that have occured in our society that have caused all of us to evolve into what our society is today. One generation is no better than the other it is how we as human beings adapt to our environment to stay alive. We must realize that these generalizations about the generations is true only to our society/culture in the US possibly England but may not be true to foreigners. Now lets throw in a multicultural mix and what do we have? CHAOS.